The Stags host the Bantams at the One Call Stadium on Saturday as they look for a break through to try and pick up their form.
Despite creating several clear-cut openings away at promotion-chasing Plymouth last time out, the Stags were dealt a 3-1 defeat at Home Park. Striker Andy Cook was on target for the amber and blue.
Bradford have enjoyed a good season so far, sitting fifth in the table, but have drawn three and lost one of their last four games. They followed last Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Scunthorpe up with a 0-0 stalemate away at Colchester on Tuesday night.
Team News
Wing-back Kellan Gordon will miss the game as he continues his recovery from a back injury.
Midfielder Willem Tomlinson could feature after returning to training this week, while the duo of Danny Rose and Hayden White will continue to be assessed ahead of Saturday’s game after picking up minor injuries in last week’s trip to Plymouth.
For the Bantams, striker Clayton Donaldson could return to the fold for the first time since damaging his toe away at Morecambe in mid-October.
Stags manager Graham Coughlan says the ‘hard work’ being put in on the training ground by his players leads to him being ‘confident’ that the Stags can turn their form around:
“We obviously want to work on the clean sheets,” he began. “Offensively, we’re very strong. We work a lot on transitions.
“The amount of chances we’re creating in each game must be double figures. We just need to find that conviction and killer instinct in front of goal, and that continuity and consistency in front of our own goal.
“What has happened between boxes has been really pleasing on the eye and we are creating, but it’s just that confidence and continuity to put the ball in the back of the net.
Bradford City manager Gary Bowyer is expecting his Bantams to be faced with a “different” side – ahead of their trip to Mansfield Town:
“Mansfield played a different system in their last game against Plymouth to the one they did against us, last time.
“Graham Coughlan will have had an opportunity to work with his players more since coming in and form a system a bit more.
“They are a good side whose position in the league is probably not fully warranted this season, on paper.
“They have some dangerous players who can hurt you and we expect a much different challenge, on Saturday.”
Head-to-Head
Last month the clubs met at the Valley Parade with Bradford winning 2-0 courtesy of two James Vaughan penalties.
Bradford last visited the Stags in December 2007, a game that ended 0-0 at One Call Stadium.